Decatur County, Tennessee

Decatur County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,435. Its county seat is Decaturville.

History
This county is named after naval hero Stephen Decatur, Jr., who gained national recognition in the First Barbary War, the Second Barbary War, and the War of 1812 by his leadership and achievements at sea. The county was created in November 1845 from the part of Perry County west of the Tennessee River in response to a petition by citizens on the west side of the river.

Like several other counties west of the Tennessee River, Decatur County was substantially pro-Union during the Civil War, contrary to the generally pro-Confederate sympathies of West and Middle Tennessee. In Tennessee's Ordinance of Secession referendum on June 8, 1861, Decatur County voted to remain in the Union by a margin of 550 to 310, being one of only eight counties in West or Middle Tennessee to support the Union. Earlier on February 9, 1861, Decatur County voters had voted against holding a secession convention by a margin of 514 to 251.

In 2015, the Decatur County clerk of court and the entire staff of that office resigned, to express conscientious objection to the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which would oblige the office to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 345 sqmi, of which 334 sqmi is land and 11 sqmi (3.2%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Benton County (north)
 * Perry County (east)
 * Wayne County (southeast)
 * Hardin County (south)
 * Henderson County (west)
 * Carroll County (northwest)

National protected area

 * Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge (part)

State protected area

 * Carroll Cabin Barrens State Natural Area
 * Cypress Pond Refuge

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 11,435 people, 4,440 households, and 3,059 families residing in the county.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,731 people, 4,908 households, and 3,415 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 /mi2.

There were 6,448 housing units at an average density of 19 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 94.12% White, 3.47% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,908 households, out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.70% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 26.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,741, and the median income for a family was $34,919. Males had a median income of $25,945 versus $20,155 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,285. About 13.80% of families and 16.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 22.20% of those age 65 or over.

City

 * Parsons

Towns

 * Decaturville (county seat)
 * Scotts Hill (partial)

Unincorporated communities

 * Bath Springs
 * Bible Hill
 * Dunbar
 * Holladay (partial)
 * Hopewell
 * Lick Skillet
 * Perryville
 * Sugar Tree

Politics
Decatur County – like all of rural Tennessee – is a Republican stronghold. The last Democrat to carry this county was Al Gore in 2000, and even before the collapse of traditional rural Democratic support after Bill Clinton the county had a sizeable Unionist population that caused it to vote Republican several times during the “System of 1896”.